Ronan Farrow suggests Elon Musk’s use of ketamine contributing to ‘erratic’ behavior

Colleague of billionaire says Musk's 'life just sucks' due to constant stress

Ronan Farrow suggests Elon Musk has 'behaved erratically' due to ketamine use

Journalist Ronan Farrow joined "CNN This Morning" on Tuesday to discuss his new piece in the New Yorker on Elon Musk and suggested the billionaire has "behaved erratically" due to ketamine use.

Journalist Ronan Farrow suggested Tuesday that Elon Musk's use of ketamine might contribute to his "erratic" behavior and questioned the amount of power the billionaire tech mogul has. 

While discussing his lengthy New Yorker feature on Musk in a CNN appearance, Farrow said a common sentiment among his peers was that Musk does "significant work" that is likely a "a net positive for all of us."

"But the Twitter thing is different, right? And we are seeing in these recent years that Elon Musk has behaved erratically at times, that the biographical facts that you mentioned that led to him at times talking about his loneliness, his sadness, the fact that there have been questions about his psychopharmacology and public reports about the Tesla board being worried about his Ambien use," he said before host Poppy Harlow noted his piece mentioned Musk's ketamine use. 

"Ketamine use, that I write about, these are all things that can be used in a legal and healthy way. However, there is concern, you know, this is a human being that we are giving all this power to, and there are very few checks on that power right now," Farrow said. 

ronan farrow suggests elon musks use of ketamine contributing to erratic behavior

Ronan Farrow sits down with "CNN This Morning" to discuss a New Yorker piece on Elon Musk on August 22, 2023.

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Farrow, whose deeply reported stories on movie mogul Harvey Weinstein's sexual misconduct made him a household name, has become known for his investigative work. In Farrow's article that delved into Musk's influence over the U.S. government and around the world, he wrote that Musk's associates had suggested his ketamine use has recently gone up. 

"Associates suggested that Musk’s use has escalated in recent years, and that the drug, alongside his isolation and his increasingly embattled relationship with the press, might contribute to his tendency to make chaotic and impulsive statements and decisions," the report reads. 

Musk has posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, that he believes ketamine is a "better option" compared to other depression medication.

"Zombifying people with SSRIs for sure happens way too much," he wrote. "From what I’ve seen with friends, ketamine taken occasionally is a better option."

"Ketamine, which doctors have long used as an anesthetic, is sometimes prescribed to treat depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, often as pills or through infusions at clinics," the Wall Street Journal reported this year.

Farrow also reported a colleague of Musk said the billionaire's life was one of constant stress due to the multiple companies he runs.

"His life just sucks. It’s so stressful," they told Farrow. "He’s just so dedicated to these companies. He goes to sleep and wakes up answering e-mails. Ninety-nine per cent of people will never know someone that obsessed, and with that high a tolerance for sacrifice in their personal life."

ronan farrow suggests elon musks use of ketamine contributing to erratic behavior

X owner Elon Musk was the subject of a lengthy New Yorker profile this week by investigative journalist Ronan Farrow. (Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

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Farrow also noted reports from 2018 that Tesla board members were concerned about Musk's use of Ambien, a prescription sleep aide. 

Musk recently rebranded Twitter, which is now known as X, as the company continues to make changes. 

The billionaire announced on Friday that the company would delete the block feature except for in direct messages, the latest of his significant changes to the platform.

ronan farrow suggests elon musks use of ketamine contributing to erratic behavior

Twitter rebranded to X earlier this year under owner Elon Musk. (Monika Skolimowska/picture alliance via Getty Images)

X users on both sides of the aisle cried foul, arguing the block feature was a "critical" one on the social media site. 

Conservative commentator Buck Sexton disagreed with Musk’s proposal, posting, "Blocking is one of the most important features on this site. Otherwise, it just turns into an echo chamber of harassment from the most vile idiots."

A representative for Musk didn't respond to a request for comment.

Fox News' Gabriel Hayes contributed to this report.

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Hanna Panreck is an associate editor at Fox News.

Authored by Hanna Panreck via FoxNews August 22nd 2023